Numbers 27:10
New International Version
If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

New Living Translation
If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

English Standard Version
And if he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

Berean Standard Bible
If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

King James Bible
And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren.

New King James Version
If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

New American Standard Bible
If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

NASB 1995
‘If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

NASB 1977
‘And if he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

Legacy Standard Bible
And if he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

Amplified Bible
If a man has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

Christian Standard Bible
If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

American Standard Version
And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren.

Contemporary English Version
But if he has no brothers, his father's brothers will inherit the land.

English Revised Version
And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If he has no brothers, give his property to his uncles on his father's side of the family.

Good News Translation
If he has no brothers, his father's brothers are to inherit it.

International Standard Version
If he doesn't have brothers, give his inheritance to his father's brothers.

Majority Standard Bible
If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father?s brothers.

NET Bible
and if he has no brothers, then you are to give his inheritance to his father's brothers;

New Heart English Bible
If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father's brothers.

Webster's Bible Translation
And if he shall have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance to his father's brethren.

World English Bible
If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and if he has no brothers, then you have given his inheritance to his father’s brothers;

Young's Literal Translation
and if he have no brethren, then ye have given his inheritance to his father's brethren;

Smith's Literal Translation
And if no brethren to him, give ye his inheritance to the brethren of his father.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And if he have no brethren, you shall give the inheritance to his father's brethren.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But if there were also no brothers, you shall give the inheritance to the brothers of his father.

New American Bible
if he has no brothers, you shall give his heritage to his father’s brothers;

New Revised Standard Version
If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And if he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father's brothers.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And if he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father's brothers.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And if he have no brethren, ye shall give his inheritance to his father's brother.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Daughters of Zelophehad
9If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. 10If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11And if his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the next of kin from his clan, that he may take possession of it. This is to be a statutory ordinance for the Israelites, as the LORD has commanded Moses.’ ”…

Cross References
Numbers 36:7-9
No inheritance in Israel may be transferred from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. / Every daughter who possesses an inheritance from any Israelite tribe must marry within a clan of the tribe of her father, so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of his fathers. / No inheritance may be transferred from one tribe to another, for each tribe of Israel must retain its inheritance.”

Joshua 17:3-6
But Zelophehad son of Hepher (the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh) had no sons but only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. / They approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders, and said, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” So Joshua gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers, in keeping with the command of the LORD. / Thus ten shares fell to Manasseh, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan beyond the Jordan, ...

Deuteronomy 21:15-17
If a man has two wives, one beloved and the other unloved, and both bear him sons, but the unloved wife has the firstborn son, / when that man assigns his inheritance to his sons he must not appoint the son of the beloved wife as the firstborn over the son of the unloved wife. / Instead, he must acknowledge the firstborn, the son of his unloved wife, by giving him a double portion of all that he has. For that son is the firstfruits of his father’s strength; the right of the firstborn belongs to him.

1 Chronicles 23:22
Eleazar died without having any sons; he had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.

Ezekiel 46:16-18
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘If the prince gives a gift to any of his sons as an inheritance, it will belong to his descendants. It will become their property by inheritance. / But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will belong to that servant until the year of freedom; then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs only to his sons; it shall be theirs. / The prince must not take any of the inheritance of the people by evicting them from their property. He is to provide an inheritance for his sons from his own property, so that none of My people will be displaced from his property.’”

Ruth 4:5-10
Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi and also from Ruth the Moabitess, you must also acquire the widow of the deceased in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.” / The kinsman-redeemer replied, “I cannot redeem it myself, or I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I cannot redeem it.” / Now in former times in Israel, concerning the redemption or exchange of property, to make any matter legally binding a man would remove his sandal and give it to the other party, and this was a confirmation in Israel. ...

Leviticus 25:46
You may leave them to your sons after you to inherit as property; you can make them slaves for life. But as for your brothers, the Israelites, no man may rule harshly over his brother.

Galatians 3:28-29
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. / And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

Matthew 21:38
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.’

Luke 12:13-14
Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” / But Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?”

Romans 8:17
And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Ephesians 1:11
In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,

Colossians 3:24
because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Hebrews 9:15-17
Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. / In the case of a will, it is necessary to establish the death of the one who made it, / because a will does not take effect until the one who made it has died; it cannot be executed while he is still alive.

1 Peter 1:4
and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,


Treasury of Scripture

And if he have no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father's brothers.

kinsman

Leviticus 25:25,49
If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold…

Ruth 4:3-6
And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's: …

Jeremiah 32:8
So Hanameel mine uncle's son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.

a statute

Numbers 35:29
So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

1 Samuel 30:25
And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.

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Heritage Inheritance
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Heritage Inheritance
Numbers 27
1. The daughters of Zelophehad ask for an inheritance
6. The law of inheritances
12. Moses, being told of his death, asks for a successor
18. Joshua is appointed to succeed him














If he has no brothers
In the context of ancient Israelite society, inheritance laws were crucial for maintaining family lineage and property within the tribe. The absence of brothers meant that the direct male line of inheritance was broken. This reflects the patriarchal structure of the society, where male heirs were typically responsible for carrying on the family name and managing the family estate. The situation described here arises from the case of Zelophehad's daughters, who brought their petition to Moses because their father died without sons (Numbers 27:1-4). This highlights the flexibility within the law to adapt to specific family circumstances, ensuring that property remained within the tribe.

give his inheritance to his father’s brothers
This provision ensures that the inheritance remains within the extended family, preserving the tribal allotment as originally distributed among the Israelites. The father's brothers, or uncles of the deceased, would be the next closest male relatives, maintaining the property within the paternal line. This reflects the importance of family and tribal continuity in Israelite culture. The law here anticipates situations where there are no direct male descendants, providing a clear line of succession. This principle of keeping inheritance within the family is echoed in other parts of Scripture, such as the story of Ruth and Boaz, where the kinsman-redeemer plays a role in preserving family lineage (Ruth 4:1-10). This also foreshadows the New Testament concept of spiritual inheritance, where believers are considered co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), emphasizing the importance of familial and spiritual continuity.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites who is receiving God's instructions regarding inheritance laws.

2. Israelites
The people of God to whom these laws are being given as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.

3. Zelophehad's Daughters
Their case prompted the establishment of inheritance laws for situations where a man dies without a son.

4. God
The ultimate lawgiver who provides these instructions to ensure justice and order among His people.

5. Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which the Israelites are preparing to enter and settle, necessitating clear inheritance laws.
Teaching Points
God's Justice and Order
God's laws ensure fairness and justice, reflecting His character. The inheritance laws demonstrate His concern for family and community order.

Family Responsibility
The passage highlights the importance of family responsibility and care. Inheritance laws ensure that family members are provided for, emphasizing the value of kinship and support.

Inclusivity in God's Plan
The inclusion of daughters in inheritance laws shows God's progressive revelation and care for all members of society, challenging cultural norms of the time.

Spiritual Inheritance
While earthly inheritance is important, believers are reminded of their spiritual inheritance in Christ, which is eternal and surpasses any earthly possession.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
If
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

he has no
אֵ֥ין (’ên)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

brothers,
אַחִ֑ים (’a·ḥîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 251: A brother, )

give
וּנְתַתֶּ֥ם (ū·nə·ṯat·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

his inheritance
נַחֲלָת֖וֹ (na·ḥă·lā·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5159: Something inherited, occupancy, an heirloom, an estate, patrimony, portion

to his father’s
אָבִֽיו׃ (’ā·ḇîw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

brothers.
לַאֲחֵ֥י (la·’ă·ḥê)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 251: A brother, )


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OT Law: Numbers 27:10 If he have no brothers then you (Nu Num.)
Numbers 27:9
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